Mumbai: ‘Anti-nature’ sea wall on Aksa beach caving in

Activists write to CM, seeking demolition of structure, claiming it interferes with tidal flow

The 600-metre sea wall built by the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) on Aksa Beach, Malad, has begun to cave in due to the impact of tidal water. B N Kumar, director of NGO NatConnect Foundation, and activist Zoru Bhathena, who moved the National Green Tribunal (NGT) against the structure, stated that the wall is “anti-nature” as it interferes with tidal flow.

Now, one can see gaping holes all along the wall, Kumar said and sent a fresh missive to the chief minister, calling for the demolition of the “ill-conceived wall” to allow the free flow of tides. The MMB had argued that it built the wall to protect the coast from erosion, but the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), in its coastal regulation zone (CRZ) nod, stipulated in its condition number one that there should be no solid construction in the tidal influential area and CRZ-1.

“Violating the condition, MMB had gone ahead and executed the project, completing nearly 95 per cent of the construction work even as the hearing was on at the NGT’s western zonal bench,” Kumar said. The MMB then approached the MCZMA to amend the CRZ nod and drop condition number one.

“Shockingly, the MCZMA allowed this as the MMB argued that electric poles on the beach were getting eroded,” Kumar said. At the NGT hearing, advocate Gayatri Singh, representing NatConnect Foundation, vehemently opposed this and said a post-facto approval could not be granted and the illegal wall should be demolished forthwith.

MMB’s admission

According to the NatConnect Foundation, the MMB’s advocate had admitted to the violation and argued that the anti-sea erosion measures were justifiable even under the CRZ notification. He also quoted expert reports, including the one by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, justifying an anti-sea erosion bund on Aksa beach. The report also upheld the fresh alignment for the bund on the ground that some electric poles were collapsing due to erosion.

NatConnect Foundation said that Singh contended that there was no sign of any anti-sea erosion bund and that the MMB had built a wall. Moreover, the MMB was aware of the topography of the site, and it should have raised concerns regarding the existence of private properties along the landward side of the High Tide Line, prior to the CRZ clearance being granted, she said.

NatConnect, meanwhile, sought information under the RTI Act from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) about the “erosion impacting the electric poles at the beach”. The BMC is yet to respond, Kumar said.

Bhathena said environmentalists have been opposing the sea wall ever since the MMB started allegedly dumping material more than two years ago. “Playing with nature will lead to disastrous results. Today, we have proof of this as nature gave us a warning,” he said.

Kumar and Bhathena told the NGT that anti-erosion measures if required, should be taken in consultation with the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), which suggested alternatives to sea walls.

NatConnect has also complained to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change which in turn asked the MCZMA to investigate the matter and report back. The MMB has then said it appointed an internal committee to look into NatConnect complaints of violations, but the report is yet to see the light of the day despite many reminders, Kumar alleged.

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